


Among the Clouds

by talital



Category: Cyberpunk 2077 (Video Game)
Genre: F/F, IT'S SO FLUFFY, Nomad V (Cyberpunk 2077), Post-Endgame, Romance, The Star Ending (Cyberpunk 2077), V Being a Gonk (Cyberpunk 2077), Valentine's Day Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-13
Updated: 2021-02-13
Packaged: 2021-03-13 19:40:32
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,176
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29407077
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/talital/pseuds/talital
Summary: V takes Judy to the mountains for some well-deserved R&R. It's just coincidental that it happens to be Valentine's Day, right?Set some time after The Star Ending.
Relationships: Judy Alvarez/V
Comments: 18
Kudos: 125
Collections: Lizzie's Bar Valentine's Challenge 2021





	Among the Clouds

**Author's Note:**

  * In response to a prompt by Anonymous in the [LizziesBarVDay21](https://archiveofourown.org/collections/LizziesBarVDay21) collection. 



“The turn’s coming up,” Judy tapped at the nav screen on the Javelina’s dashboard.

“I see it.”

The whoosh of the windshield wipers broke up the faint music coming from the radio. Judy watched the screen expectantly, before turning back to V. “You sure? Because you just missed it.”

V’s eyes widened, glancing back down at the screen. “This damn nav system,” she made a face, gripping the steering wheel hard and swiveling her head around. She braked suddenly, just enough for the seatbelt to tighten snugly across Judy’s chest, and whipped the car around in the empty road. “Mitch said he put the updates on it.”

“Don’t go blaming Mitch,” Judy arched an eyebrow, bracing herself against the door. “I saw you, gawking at the snowflakes like a little kid at Christmas.”

V allowed the briefest smile at that, turning the wheel to get them onto the correct road toward their destination as the GPS dinged in satisfaction. “Can ya blame me? Last time I saw snow like this, I was about fifteen. Think it was up in Washington, or Idaho maybe? Can’t even remember at this point.”

The Javelina slowly made its way up the untouched winding road, which was becoming more obscured with snow as they climbed. V found herself gripping extra tightly onto the steering wheel as she watched the elevation marker on the nav screen climb, grateful that they’d opted to bring the all-terrain vehicle instead of Judy’s van. Would’ve been a disaster.

“Not too far now. Before you know it, we’ll be relaxing in front of the fire with a nice cup of coffee,” V grinned, shooting her output a look.

“Could use something warm,” Judy sighed contentedly at the words, sinking into her seat and burying the bottom part of her face into the plush grey scarf wrapped around her neck. “Let’s just hope the heater’s working. I’d hate to have to cuddle with you all night for warmth.”

“God, no. I won’t allow it to come to that.”

They rounded an especially icy curve, slowly falling under a gradual haze of pinks and reds. A brightly lit billboard ahead flashed passively in the colors, already partially covered in the fresh powder. In V’s peripherals, Judy leaned forward with brows furrowed. “The hell is a billboard doing out here, of all places?”

“Maybe more people lived out here, once upon a time?”

They drew closer, until V was able to make out the illustration of a man dressed as a scantily-clad Cupid, plucking a single heart-shaped arrow into the air on repeat.

“Valentine’s Day Sale at the... “ Judy paused, groaning. “The Love Shack? Fifty percent off all…God, what are we, back in Night City?” she sighed deeply, shaking her head. “We’re miles from civilization, you really think a sex shop managed to last this long around here? A tacky one, at that?”

“Doubt it. My guess, whoever owns it probably didn’t think it was worth comin’ all the way out here to shut it down. Wonder if it rotates out through the year.”

Judy glanced at V, then back down to the phone in her hand. “Huh, that’s right. It’s actually Valentine’s Day, isn’t it?”

V shrugged noncommittally. “Was never much for the holiday.”

The phrase was technically true, in the past tense, but the strained tone at which V had said it caused Judy to chuckle quietly. “Some broken hearts back in your day, huh cutie?” She waved a hand, grinning. “No matter. Just another way for corpos to gouge you for more eddies, anyways.”

“I’ll give you that,” V nodded as she turned the car into a private drive, the snow-covered pavement transitioning into snow-covered gravel.

The image of the arrow perpetually flying off the screen stayed in V’s mind as she drove. Never was a fan of the holiday, no. After all, it wasn’t much of a Nomadic holiday in itself. She’d grown up seeing the spires of pink lights and hearts and obscene ads towering high over whichever city they were camped outside. In her time in Night City, she’d passed by all the sex shops, BD dens, and dollhouses painted up in advertising offering enticing discounts for the desperately lonely. What was once perhaps a good concept, like many things, V imagined, had become corrupted and degraded over time.

That was, until she’d found herself alone one day, flipping idly through one of Judy’s graphic novels as she laid in bed in their shared tent. It was an old one, and one of Judy’s favorites, with a faded, worn cover and numerous dogeared pages littered with sticky notes among the panels. Some simple notes, like _‘idea?’_ , and others more detailed, like hastily jotted down recipes and musings that V decided had little value being stuck between the pages of a book.

She’d been absently tapping her toe to the beat of some lovey-dovey song playing on the radio, when she turned the page to a scene featuring the main duo in a decidedly uncharacteristic repose, sporting gleeful faces and crashing down a snowy hill together on a sled. And while the plot and pacing of the story left many things to be desired, what stuck out most to V was the yellow sticky note plastered right below the scene: _“cute :)”_

V snorted, pressing a hand to her mouth to prevent a full-on laugh from escaping. It was cute, indeed, the idea of Judy taking time to write such a decisive conclusion and stick it onto such a sickeningly sweet scene. Painfully so. She’d probably deny it outright if V ever brought it up to her. V snapped the book shut, smiling and still tapping her foot to the beat on the radio as the song slowly faded out and her mind began to race with ideas.

_...just a reminder to all your folks out there, Valentine’s Day is coming up fast, so make sure you get that special someone in your life what they really deserve: a season pass to Blue Lagoon, the premier dollhouse in the greater Tucson--_

V groaned, shutting off the radio with a few choice words. Just another reminder of the wonders of the modern age. She drew her knees up to her chest and tapped the hard cover of the book against her forehead, gathering her thoughts back together. She longed to repurpose the idea, if only for just this once. If only to prove that something nice, something real, could come out of such a day.

_Judy. You’re turnin’ me into such a sap._

The car rolled to a stop in front of the small cabin, which was tucked away among a thicket of lush trees. ‘Cabin’ was a bit of a generous term for it, as it was the same type of pre-fab metal single-story house that one could find anywhere in the NUSA. The listing had claimed an ‘escape like none other,’ complete with a fully-stocked kitchen and a functional jacuzzi. Nice amenities and perhaps lofty ambitions, but not why V had chosen it. The real draw, was the cleared-off hill that banked down the backside of it, giving a wide open view of the snow-covered valley below.

Judy whistled, opening the passenger side door and giving a big stretch as she got to her feet. “Nice digs. Wouldn’t mind getting snowed in here,” she said, winking back at V.

“Hold that thought, let’s just hope the key works first. Thing looks ancient,” V stepped out of the car and into the snow, digging through the pockets of her coat for the worn keycard. “Wonder why they haven’t updated to biometrics?”

Judy rounded the front of the car and snatched the key out of V’s hand with a smirk. “Only one way to find out,” she said, jogging up the stairs to the front porch. She swiped the card against the reader a couple of times before huffing. “Uh oh…”

V paced over to the stairs, chest filled with a sudden dread. She joined her output at the door, looking over her shoulder at the reader. “What is it?”

The familiar curve of lips turned her way, pulling into a grin. Judy jiggled the doorknob, cracking the door open a fraction. “Nothin’,” she let out a warm chuckle, leaning sideways to give V a firm kiss on the lips. “Come on now, no more worryin’. We’re here, all’s good.”

“Sorry,” V took a long breath, the kiss mixed with Judy’s gaze deepening the color in her cheeks. “Still a little on edge from driving, is all.”

Judy took V by the hand and squeezed it firmly as she led them inside. “Gonna have to get my girl nice and relaxed then.”

The inside of the cabin held no surprises, looking exactly like the pictures on the listing. It was clean and comfortable looking. A plush L-shaped couch centered the living room and faced a fireplace, everything bathed in daylight from the plentiful surrounding windows. Judy pulled at V’s hand gently, checking out the kitchen and then the bedroom with a broad smile. “Gets my seal of approval,” Judy nodded, her teeth chattering a bit at the words. “Fuck, it’s cold. Let’s get that fireplace going.”

“You work on that. I’ll get our things from the car.”

V stumbled back down the slick steps of the porch, cursing as she nearly lost her balance. She rolled her shoulders, composing herself and taking another deep breath as she opened the trunk of the Javelina. Inside lay both of their bags, which she shouldered, and then bit her lip to ponder the molded red plastic of the child sized sled that lay underneath.

Her eyes flitted between the sled and the expansive windows of the cabin, making a quick decision. With a nod to herself, she picked up the sled, quietly trudging around the opposite side of the house toward the back, careful to avoid Judy’s line of sight from inside. Not the toughest gig she’d been on, V thought with a quiet chuckle, plopping the sled down by the back door triumphantly and slinking back around to the front.

“Get lost out there?” Judy arched an eyebrow as V removed her shoes at the front door and set down their bags. She was still hovering over the fireplace, fiddling with a lighter and some tinder.

“Just takin’ in the sights,” V smiled, turning away from her and crossing the carpeting of the living room into the adjoining kitchen. She was awful at hiding things, especially from Judy, so the best course of action would be to keep busy. “Want some coffee? Tea?”

“Actually, tea sounds nice. Don’t wanna get too wired.”

“Comin’ right up, cutie,” V filled the kettle at the tap and turned it on while she rummaged through the cabinets in search of tea bags.

Behind her, there was a final flick of the lighter and Judy laughed triumphantly. “Ha! There ya go, finally. Was beginning to worry I’d get my Nomad card taken away.”

“Congratulations. Your fire-starter badge will be in the mail shortly.”

“Mmhmm.” It was quiet for a moment, the only sound being the crackling of the tinder as it took and spread among the logs. Soundlessly, Judy appeared behind V, wrapping her arms around her waist and resting those plush lips against her ear. “You just focus on getting that tea brewed. And just so we’re clear, that’s the last thing you’re doing today. I’ve got dinner handled.”

The arms disappeared as quickly as they’d appeared, and Judy wandered out of the kitchen, leaving V gripping the edge of the counter. Apparently Judy had some ideas of her own. It took a moment for V to return to ground, staring at the kettle as it bubbled and steamed for far too long. She swallowed, grabbing a pair of mugs and carefully preparing their drinks.

As V turned and walked toward the couch with the steaming mugs, Judy emerged from the bedroom, relieved of her coat and scarf and smoothing out the skin-tight fabric of her long sleeved shirt with a smirk. She’d put on fresh lipstick too. A gentle gust of music followed behind, wafting across the house.

V’s eyes fluttered shut momentarily, steeling herself before Judy took one of the mugs and sipped it when an appreciative sigh.

_Careful, V. Eyes on the prize._

Except V had never been one to turn Judy down when she had her mind on something. It proved almost impossible, in fact, once she found herself pushed down onto the couch, mugs discarded on the coffee table as Judy pressed her body down against hers. Somehow her coat ended up on the floor along with her knitted hat, and Judy’s lips gave her one final deep kiss before they moved down to work diligently at V’s neck.

V dug her fingers into the fabric at Judy’s sides, a grimace overtaking her features. It felt so good. Too good. Her eyes snapped open, glancing out the window. It was impossible to check the time at that point, but the way the daylight was slowly starting to fade outside, V guessed that she didn’t have too much of it left.

Judy’s teeth grazed the side of her jaw, finding their place at her neck and biting down gently. A strangled gasp escaped V’s throat, and with the very last ounce of willpower she had, put her hands to Judy’s shoulders and pressed her back. “H-hang on.”

“Mmm?” Judy pulled back, already flushed and her lipstick ever so slightly smudged. It took a moment for the haze clouding her eyes to clear, and she pulled her brows together. “What’s up?”

V took a breath, smoothing her output’s disheveled hair and tucking it gently behind her ear. The pink ends she’d once sported were all but gone, long grown out in the months they’d been in Tucson. “Not that this isn’t entirely up my alley, but... “ V found herself faltering slightly under her output’s gaze. “I had something I wanted to show you. Outside.”

Judy’s dark eyes searched hers, the corners of her mouth slowly curving upward. “Oookay. Must be good, if you’re willing to put this on pause.” She pulled back, wiping the edges of her lips with the side of her finger. “Probably look a mess, don’t I?”

“Course not.”

V felt her heart race anew, this time the one taking Judy by the hand and all but dragging her toward the back door. “When was the last time you scrolled something, by the way?”

“Scrolled something? Mmm, on our way here, actually,” Judy said with an embarrassed chuckle, relinquishing V’s hand to pull her shoes and coat back on. “Couldn’t help myself. I liked watching you look at the snowflakes.” She followed V out the back door. “Why, sayin’ this might be a scrollable occasion?”

V shrugged, failing to mask her own smile as she glanced toward the bright red sled that rested before them. Judy saw it too, her pace slowing as she took in the sight with a raised eyebrow. It took a moment for it to click, but when it did, she burst out into a gush of laughter. “No… that can’t be what I think it is.”

“Got the idea from some book I read.”

“Bet you did…” Whether it was the cold, or something else, Judy’s cheeks had turned pink. She walked over to the sled, peering down the hill. “This is cuter, you know. Way cuter.”

“I try. Consider it a little Valentine’s Day treat.”

Judy snorted at the words, pulling the sled over to the crest of the hill and sitting down on it. She patted the spot in between her legs, grinning broadly. “Well, come on then! Daylight’s wastin’!”

V didn’t need to be told twice. She followed and sat down, feeling Judy’s arms lock around her waist and her legs squeeze tightly against her own. V took the pull rope in her hands, looking down the face of the hill and gulping hard. “Uh, now that we’re here, this looks way steeper than I imagined.”

Judy looked over V’s shoulder, her breath warm against V’s neck. “Fuck, you’re right,” she chuckled lowly. “This is like watching one of those rollercoaster BD’s.”

“Actually rode one once, ya know. A real one.”

“Wait, seriously? You rode a real fucking rollercoaster, and you’re scared to go down this little hill?”

“Didn’t say I was scared,” V gripped the rope tighter in her hands. “Just looks high, is all.”

“If you say so, boss.”

Judy’s arms disappeared from V’s waist momentarily, and she felt them being propelled forward without warning. The sound that V realized was coming out of her own throat was a shriek; a whimpering, pitiful shriek that elicited an exhilarated laugh from her output. They banked down the hill, picking up speed. So much speed, that for a moment V was certain that they’d die. The sled hit the bottom of the hill and went over a bump, the sheer velocity of their descent enough to bounce them both off the hard plastic and send them rolling into the soft pillows of snow.

Judy laid there, still laughing and gasping for breath. “That. Was awesome.” Her hand moved across the snow, partially packed down by their landing, until she found V. “You okay there? Still alive?”

“I think so?” V sat up, dusting off her face and running her hands through her hair. “Holy shit.”

“Thought your soul up and left your body for a second.”

V bit her cheek at that, shooting Judy a weak glare. “You’re never to speak of that again.”

“Too late, _mi calabacita_. Got it all right here,” she tapped at the side of her head with a lazy grin. “Scrolled the whole thing.”

V leaned over her output, narrowed eyes softening and lips tugging into a smile. Snowflakes stuck all across the colors of Judy’s hair. The ones that’d found their way onto her skin slowly melted against the warmth. It was all shining in the light. She looked angelic.

“But you liked it though? Really?”

“You kiddin'?” A damp, icy hand captured the back of V’s head and pulled her into a kiss. Her lips were still warm, and V felt herself melting against them. “I loved it. Always knew you were a romantic, somewhere deep down inside. This just proves it.”

V rolled her eyes, pressing in for another kiss. “Yeah, yeah. You’re lucky I love you.”

“Mmhmm,” Judy smirked. “Love you too, gonk. Now,” she lifted a snow covered hand, pressing it firmly against V’s cheek and causing another shriek. “Don’t go thinkin’ we’re one and done here. We’re about to wear this hill out.” Before V could recover, Judy was already up and dusting herself off. “Last one there is a…rotten burrito?”

Judy grabbed the pull rope, dragging it behind her with a grin as she began her wobbly ascent back up the hill. V sat in the snow, watching her, okay with losing just this once.


End file.
